NATO started Large Naval Exercise BALTOPS in Baltic Sea

NATO started Large Naval Exercise BALTOPS
in Baltic Sea
Scores of ships and aircraft from 17 countries are taking part in Baltic Sea naval drills as part of
exercise BALTOPS which started on Friday, 5 June 2015 and runs until 20 June. Allied participation
demonstrates NATO's resolve to defend the Baltic region, and will hone the ability of Allies and
partners to work together.
The exercise will feature anti-submarine warfare, air defence, intercepting suspect vessels and
amphibious landings. A total of 49 ships, 61 aircraft, one submarine, and a combined amphibious
landing force of 700 U.S.
Finnish and Swedish troops will participate in the drills.
Fourteen NATO Allies are joined this year by NATO partners Finland, Georgia and Sweden. Overall,
5,600 troops will be involved.
"This exercise represents an important opportunity for our forces, as allies and partners, to enhance
our ability to work together and strengthen capabilities required to maintain regional security," said
Vice Admiral James Foggo III, the Commander of Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO. He added:
"this exercise will be conducted in a truly joint environment, and I look forward to working with and
learning from so many different nations and services".
While BALTOPS is a United States-led exercise, Vice Admiral Foggo and his NATO staff are responsible
for executing this year's exercise. Participants include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, the
United Kingdom, and the United States.
The annual BALTOPS exercise is not held in response to any specific threat. The exercise has been
held since 1971, and is now in its 43rd year. It is also part of the ALLIED SHIELD series of exercises.
This month, NATO and Allies will conduct a series of training events. The ALLIED SHIELD series
includes not only BALTOPS but also Exercise NOBLE JUMP, the first training deployment of Allied
high-readiness units under the new Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) framework.
SABER STRIKE, a significant land exercise in the Baltic States; and TRIDENT JOUST, a NRF command
and control exercise in Romania. In total, approximately 15,000 troops from 19 different Allies and 3
partner nations will participate in this series of training events taking place across the Alliance.
All of these exercises are defensive and are a part of NATO’s assurance measures in response to
challenges on NATO’s southern and eastern periphery.
The activities will focus on enhancing interoperability, readiness and responsiveness among Allied
and partner nations. ALLIED SHIELD demonstrates that NATO members are united in their
commitment to collective defence.
Source: navyrecognition